Apparatus for flying model airplanes



P 1962 N. Y. ALEXANDER 3,055,660

APPARATUS FOR FLYING MODEL AIRPLANES Filed Feb. 23, 1960 INVENTOR. NOLAN Y ALEXANDER ZQMW 2) 49% ATTYS.

United States Patent 3,055,660 APPARATUS FOR FLYING MODEL AIRPLANES Nolan Y. Alexander, 12 Center St, Westerville, Ohio Filed Feb. 23, 19W, Ser. No. 10,491 1 Claim. (Cl. 272-31) This invention relates to apparatus for flying model airplanes and more particularly to apparatus for propelling airplane models having no power plant of their own.

With increased interest in aviation the manufacture of airplane models has become quite extensive and kits of parts are readily available making it possible for anyone to assemble static models of aircraft. Also available are models of existing aircraft molded in plastic or other compositions or formed of metal. While such static models are very attractive as static exhibits, they cannot be flown on their own power as a rule.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome the foregoing and other difliculties and to provide for powering and controlling these model airplanes, rockets, or the like.

Other objects are to provide a readily available source of power and control for selectively receiving and controlling a multiplicity of models, to provide for removably securing the source of power to an available building structure or support, and to provide for mounting this power unit in a convenient position in a room without interfering with normal use of the room.

A further object is to provide for simulating the sound of a traveling plane, especially of the jet type.

These and other objects will appear from the following description and the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof.

Of the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a ceiling with an apparatus corresponding to and embodying the invention secured thereto and suspended therefrom.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged detail side view of the outer end of the sweep arm, parts being broken away.

FIG. 3 is a top view of the outer end of the sweep arm, paits being broken away.

FIG. 4 is a side View showing a modification of the sweep arm.

Referring to the drawings, and first to FIG. 1 thereof, the numeral 1 designates a horizontal support such as a ceiling to which is secured a panel 2 of sheet material. The panel may be of sheet plastic material and it may be secured to the ceiling or other support by a pressure sensitive cement layer 3. Other fastening means may be used to hold the panel in place.

Removably secured to the center of the panel 2 as by screws is an electric motor 4 having a vertical spindle 5. The motor receives its power from the ordinary house lighting circuit represented by wires 6, 7 by way of a transformer 8 and lines 9, 10. Secured to spindle 5, as by a set screw 11 is a sweep arm 12. The transformer is of the adjustable speed type. At the outer end of the sweep arm, a bar 13 is supported at its center upon a pivot 14 and has ears 15, 16 at opposite ends thereof to support an airplane model 17 as by a pair of fine metal wires 18, 19 such as piano wire, the wires each ordinarily extending downwardly from an ear of bar 13 to a supporting car on a wing of the model.

As the motor '4 is energized the sweep arm rotates and carries the model in an orbital path. Due to the trapezelike suspension of the model from the bar 13, the model may move out radially and upwardly so as to inscribe a larger orbit.

In order to present the model in the best attitude for orbital flight, provision is made to permit the plane to fly in bank flight or in level flight. Also in order to suspend the model so that it will nose in the best attitude for flight, an adjustable support is provided. For these purposes a head 20 is mounted on the outer end of arm 12 for adjustable movement about a vertical axis, a threaded shoulder screw 21 being rotatably mounted in a vertical bore of the arm and with its threaded end engaging a tapped opening in the head. A clamp screw 22 is provided to hold the screw 21 against rotation.

The head 20 is formed with a downwardly open slot 23 across which a pivot pin 14 extends. An ear 25 on the center of bar 13 is pierced to engage over the pin. Slot 23 is oriented generally in a radial direction relative to the axis of rotation of the spindle but may be adjusted by loosening clamp screw 22 and rotating the head to the desired angle. Due to the trapeze suspension, the model would fly in bank flight, the pivot pin 14 permitting a swing-out movement.

Where it is desired to restrain the model to level flight a link 24 may be provided to secure the bar 13 to the head 20, as by a screw 26 in the head 20 secured to one end of the link and a pin 27 secured to the other end of the link and adapted to enter the eye in one end of the bar 13. The link may be of flexible material so that the pin 27 may be withdrawn by flexing the link slightly.

In order to simulate sound of an airplane in flight a small pennant 30 of metal foil may be secured to one of the suspending wires 19.

While in FIG. 1 the wires 18 and 19 have been shown as parallel and of the same length, it is also possible to employ wires of different lengths and suspension points of bar 13 closer or farther apart relative to spacing of the ears on the model. Such changes in the geometry of the suspension may also be used to present the model in different attitudes during flight.

While an airplane model has been shown in FIG. 1 with supporting ears on its wings, other models such as missiles may be supported at front and rear positions by rotating the head 20 to suit.

The panel 2 especially when mounted on a ceiling by the layer of pressure sensitive cement may be removed without damage to the ceiling. The apparatus may be installed in the ordinary living room and operated without damage to the furnishings.

If desired the sweep arm may extend in opposite directions from the spindle and two models supported at opposite ends thereof as in FIG. 4 where the sweep arm 31 is suspended from the spindle 5 at its center and has adjustable heads 32, 33 similar to head 20 at opposite ends thereof which supports bars 34, 35 from which a model may be suspended by wires. This embodiment also gives a balanced mechanism.

While a certain embodiment and details have been shown for the purpose of illustrating the invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

In combination, a horizontally rotatable arm, a bar, bracket means mounting the bar beneath the outer end of the arm in a position normally parallel to the arm, a model airplane, strand means extending from each end of the bar to a wing of the airplane to provide a parallel linkage support for the airplane, said bracket means including double pivot means at right angles to each other, one pivot means providing adjusting movement of the bar about a vertical axis, means for locking the bar in this adjusted position, the other pivot means providing adjusting movement of the bar about a horizontal axis, and means for locking the bar in this adjusted position (References on following page) References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Rittenhouse Mar. 10, 1914 4 Toney June 3, 1919 Moldin Jan. 4, 1921 Hanson Nov. 10, 1925 Slachter Mar. 31, 1931 Reiter June 8, 1954 Shapiro Mar. 18, 1958 

